hardening

noun

hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ
Synonyms of hardeningnext
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries

Examples of hardening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Taleghan 2 appears to be deeply buried, similar to Fordow and Natanz, and its recent hardening may have prompted the use of extremely heavy bunker-busters. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026 How much will new hardening measures cost? Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026 Indeed, climate change is adding intensity to wildfires in the West, while more severe hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods and winter storms are pummeling the grid in the rest of the country and forcing more spending on repairs and the hardening of infrastructure, Hua said. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026 There has been a hardening of political loyalties in recent years, as many of Maryland’s bluest counties have become bluer and the reddest counties have become redder. Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hardening

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardening was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardening. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing
: sclerosis
hardening of the arteries

Medical Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ, -ᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries

More from Merriam-Webster on hardening

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